Street-cleaning apparatus.



G. F. SPEIGB. STREET GLEANING'APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1908. 908,620. Patented Jam 5, 1909.

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Patented Jan.5, 1909.

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CHARLES F. SPEIOE, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

STREET-OLE ANIN G APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application filed February 27, 1.908. Serial No. 418,116.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES i Semen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Street-Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to street cleaning apparatus and its object is to provide a combined sweeper and scraper which can be readily manipulated and which is designed to both scrape and sweep simultaneously.

Another object is to provide means whereby the brush of the sweeper can be readily elevated so as to pick up large objects without causing any delay in, or interference with the operation of the machine.

Another object is to provide a sweeper which has a dirtreceptacle the contents of which can be readily dumped whenever desired.

Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

in said drawings: Figure 1 a side elevation of the machine, a portion of the dirt receptacle being broken away. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view, a portion of the hood being broken away.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates an axle carried by supporting wheels 2 and mounted on this axle is a dirt receptacle :3 formed of sheet metal or other suitable material and having its bottom normally inclined to the horizontal and terminating at its forward end in a scraper At. The rear end of the dirt receptacle is provided with a closure 5 hingedly mounted at its upper end upon a pivot block 6 which is fastened to the side walls of the dirt receptacle. Apertured ears 7 extend rearwardly from the lower portions of the sides of the receptacle and are designed to be engaged by bolts 8 mounted in guides 9 and connected to an operating lever 10 at opposite sides of the fulcrum 11 of said lever. This lever has a guide strap 12 extending thereacross and secured to the upper portion of the closure and it is obvious that by shifting the lever in one direction the bolts will be simultaneously retracted from the ears or keepers 7 and a reverse movement of the lever will cause these bolts to be projected into engagement with the ars or keepers.

The side strips 13 are riveted or otherwise secured to the sides of the dirt receptacle and the upper or rear ends of these strips extend rear *ardly and upwardly beyond the receptacle and constitute supports for a handle bar 1 4:. Pivotally mounted upon each of these side strips 13 a lever 15 and a link 16 connects this lever with one end of a frame 17 which is disposed along the sides and across the front of the dirt receptacle, the sides of the frame being fulcrumed as at 18 upon the end portions of the strips 13. A shaft 20 is journaled in the frame 17 and extends across the front of the dirt receptacle and arranged on this shaft is a rotary sweeper 21 which projects into the open end of the dirt receptacle and is designed to brush dirt onto the scraper at and into the receptacle. A sprocket 22 is secured to shaft 20 and is designed to be driven by a chain 23 mounted on a drive sprocket which is loosely mounted on axle 1. A clutch 25 is preferably utilized for coupling the sprocket 2% to the axle and this clutch may be actuated by means of a suitable lever 26 or in any other desired manner so as to place the brush into or out of operative relation with the supporting wheels. The cover 27 of the dirt receptacle has a hood 28 hingedly connected thereto ant. designed to extend over the sweeper 21 as indicated in Fig. 1, said head being provided with a handle 29 whereby the same can be readily raised.

it will be obvious that when the machine is pushed forward motion will be transmitted through chain 23 and to sprocket 22 and the sweeper 21, and said sweeper will operate to direct dirt backward into the receptacle 3. At the same time the scraper 4 will operate upon the surface being cleaned. Should a large object, such as a brick or cobble stone be in the path of the sweeper the operator could readily raise the brush simply by actuating the levers 15 so as to tilt frame 17. As the brush continuously r0- tates it will be apparent that the same can therefore be utilized to direct these large objects into the receptacle. hen it is desired to dump the contents of the receptacle lever 10 is shifted so as to withdraw bolts 8 from their keepers whereupon closure 5 will swing open and by pushing downward on handle 14: the contents of the receptacle will pass through the open rear end thereof. hould it be desired to use only the scraper the brush or sweeper 21 can be raised as described and can also be uncoupled from the supporting Wheels by means ofclntch 25.

It will be noted that the driving mechanism is located at the left side of the machine so that the other side thereof can be brought close to the curb. The machineis easily operated and in View of its siniplicity of construction will not easily get out order. importance is attached to the fact that the sweeper can be quickly raised so as to pass over any large obstructions and can continue to rotate While in raised position so as to direct said obstructions into the dirt receptacle.

What is claimed is:

The combination With a Wheel supported receptacle having an open front end and a closure for the rear end thereof; of a. scraper extending from the open end of the receptacle, a frame straddling and pivotally connected to the sides of the receptacle, said frame extending across the front of the receptacle, a sweeper journaled Within the frame and cooperating With the scraper, a hood pivotally connected to the receptacle and normally extending over the sweeper to the front end of the frame, a lever upon the receptacle, and means actuated by the lever for tilting the frame relatively to the receptacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as'my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa ture in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

CHARLES F. SPEICE.

lVitnesses W. F. BRIOKMA'N,

J. V. SMITH. 

